Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 05, 2013 News
By Zena Henry and Javone Vickerie
Senior citizens around the country collected their first increase in old age pension yesterday and public assistance when the state fund was handed out at various post offices.
At midday yesterday, tellers were still working feverishly to do away with large crowds of pensioners seeking to acquire what they said is the recently delayed pension packages.
The elderly stood, sat and squatted in their numbers as long lines were seen at the many payment locations around the city.
Even pensioners in Linden were able to access the new increases, despite an armed robbery which took place at the Wismar Post Office on Monday.
Many however expressed dissatisfaction at the long hours they had to wait and the poor facilities which they said do not cater for the elderly. Some persons who were interviewed in the city said that they had been waiting since early in the morning but as noon approached, they were yet to get their money.
“Well to tell you the honest truth this is li’l bit money, $12,500 could only buy a bag a rice and milk and sugar nothing else. They need to review this thing over and see what they could do for poor people,” said Desiree London who was waiting at the Bourda Post Office. Seventy-two year-old Constantine Andrews who was standing at the back of a line at the same location said that she had walked from Light Street and had been waiting in the sun since 7 am.
“I am 72 years old and I been waiting in a line for a measly pension which might done today.
I don’t think this Government has anybody at their interest. We as old people worked hard and tried to save as much as we could. If it wasn’t for me children dem outside, I don’t know what woulda happen,” the woman lamented.
She added that no representative from the post office had come out to provide an explanation for the long wait as persons began to leave the line and seek refuge from the blazing sun at nearby stalls and places of business.
A young man, Clinton Jarvis, who explained that he collects his father’s monthly pension said that while standing in the line it made him realise that the pensioners who are considered to be the “past builders of our nation” were being ill treated.
“Well I am here for my father because he was ‘craking’ whole morning that $12,500 can’t do nothing much for him.
I think this is a slap in the face for old people who helped to build this nation in the promise that they gon be repaid when they get old.
It got me wondering now if the situation this bad what gon happen when I get old. We wonder why the insurance companies dem making money off of life insurance.
But you see, if we don’t make the sacrifices when we young what gon happen when we get old?”
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